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Washington To Hire Patriots’ Steve Belichick As Defensive Coordinator

February 5th, 2024 at 7:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jerod Mayo was interested in retaining Steve Belichick on his first Patriots staff, but that will not happen. The interview Belichick took for a college position will lead to a Foxborough exit.

The second-generation NFL coach is leaving the Patriots to become the defensive coordinator at the University of Washington, per 247Sports.com’s Matt Zenitz. Field Yates of ESPN.com indicates Belichick has since accepted the Huskies’ offer. This will mark a significant change for Steve Belichick, but given the developments with his father and the Patriots, it was not too difficult to predict he would also be leaving.

Steve Belichick, 36, worked as a defensive assistant under Bill Belichick for 12 seasons. While his tie to the all-time coaching great undoubtedly aided this rise, Bill entrusted Steve as his primary defensive play-caller over the past four seasons. The Patriots did not employ a traditional defensive coordinator following Matt Patricia‘s 2018 exit, but Mayo and Brian Flores were viewed as the top assistants on that side of the ball. Steve Belichick, however, played a major role during the 2020s.

Moving from the defensive assistant level to the safeties coach position in 2016, Steve coached the Pats’ outside linebackers from 2020-23. Matt Judon and Josh Uche delivered productive seasons during that span, though the Pats were not able to increase Steve Belichick’s ring count from three to four in the ’20s. Mayo offered Steve and Brian Belichick, who joined the staff in 2017 and has been the team’s safeties coach for the past four years, jobs on his 2024 staff. It is not yet known how Brian will proceed, but Steve will land his first coordinator job.

Bill Belichick never coached in the college ranks, but his father spent decades on the Navy staff. The Huskies hired Jedd Fisch as HC to replace new Alabama HC Kalen DeBoer; Fisch was the Patriots’ quarterbacks coach in 2020. The Huskies are also hiring Patriots running backs coach Vinnie Sunseri to help out in the secondary, Yates adds. Sunseri, 32, has been with the Pats since 2020; he spent the past three seasons as their RBs coach but initially joined Bill Belichick’s staff as a defensive assistant.

This all comes as the NFL coaching carousel came to a stop with Bill Belichick without a job. The six-time Super Bowl-winning HC was planning to be selective, though teams were also leery of Belichick and the power he would want; only two — the Falcons and Commanders — talked to him about their HC vacancies. and it should not be expected he will join a team as an assistant. While Belichick has been an NFL staffer in every season since 1975, he has not worked as a coordinator since 1999. Bill, 71, is not planning to retire; a 2025 re-emergence — in what could be his last shot to land a third NFL HC gig — will be on the radar.

Additionally, the Patriots are hiring Packers defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery to work in the same capacity, according to ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky. A Packers assistant since 2015, Montgomery worked under Dom Capers, Mike Pettine and Joe Barry. The Packers brought Montgomery up from the college ranks; he worked as a college D-line assistant from 2006-14. Montgomery, 44, will replace DeMarcus Covington, whom the Patriots moved into the DC role.

Circling back to the college ranks, two-time Patriots OC Bill O’Brien will make a rather pivotal change. After leaving the Pats to become Ohio State’s offensive coordinator, O’Brien is moving close to a deal to become Boston College’s next head coach, Rich Thompson of the Boston Herald reports. Prior to the Patriots hiring a new OC (Alex Van Pelt), O’Brien bolted for the Ohio State gig. The Packers’ decision to hire ex-Boston College HC Jeff Hafley as DC looks set to produce a ripple effect.

QB Sean Mannion Retires, To Join Packers’ Coaching Staff

February 3rd, 2024 at 5:52pm CST by Ely Allen

Nine years after entering the NFL, veteran quarterback Sean Mannion has made the decision to retire from playing football. According to Brady Henderson of ESPN, the former Rams passer is not walking away from football completely as he’ll hang up his cleats but pick up a whistle. Mannion will reportedly be accepting a job on the Packers’ coaching staff.

Mannion came into the league as a third-round pick out of Oregon State for the Rams of St. Louis. Leaving Corvallis with 13,600 passing yards and 83 passing touchdowns, Mannion went to the NFL with the title of the Pac-12’s all-time passing leader.

Mannion was drafted to serve as a third-string passing option, sitting behind Nick Foles and Case Keenum as a rookie. The following year, No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff would replace Foles, and eventually Keenum, on the depth chart. Over the last two years of his rookie contract, Mannion would serve as the primary backup behind Goff. He would leave Los Angeles having played in 10 games for the Rams, making one start over those four years.

The next two years saw Mannion play on two one-year contracts with the Vikings backing up Kirk Cousins. In 2021, he would sign with the Seahawks as a free agent, but after he was released prior to the start of the season, Minnesota scooped Mannion up, signing him to a practice squad deal. In 2019 and 2021, Mannion appeared in four games, starting two. He would spend the last two years bouncing between the Vikings’ and Seahawks’ practice squads while not appearing in any games.

For his career, Mannion appeared in 14 total games with three of those being starts. He finished his playing career with a 60.9 completion percentage, throwing for 573 yards and one touchdown to three interceptions.

The title of his position with the Packers is not yet known, but Henderson claims that Mannion will be working with quarterbacks and the passing game. As of right now, Green Bay already has a quarterbacks coach in Tom Clements and a passing game coordinator in Jason Vrable, so it’s assumed Mannion will be working in some sort of offensive assistant or quality control position.

New Ravens DC Zach Orr Chose Baltimore Over Green Bay?

February 2nd, 2024 at 7:59pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens secured what they hope will be the next in a line of mostly outstanding defensive coordinators in their 28-year history when the team promoted inside linebackers coach Zach Orr yesterday. Orr staying in Baltimore, a city in which he’s spent nine years as both a player and coach, seems like a no-brainer, but according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, the team’s new coordinator had another offer: the Packers.

This report comes with a bit of speculation as it stems from an unnamed “league source,” but the timeline holds up. The Packers’ hire of former Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley as their newest defensive coordinator came as a bit of a surprise with no reports of an interview taking place before his sudden appointment. There are perhaps two reasons for this.

The first would be that Hafley is a college football coach who must deal with the trials of the recruiting trail. If Hafley were reported to be interviewing for NFL jobs, any recruits the Eagles were hoping to land may think twice about committing to a coach who isn’t himself committed to the school. If news of an interview surfaced and Hafley returned to Boston College for the 2024 NCAA season, he would likely face innumerable questions concerning the plans for his future in Chestnut Hill.

The second reason pertains to his existing relationship with Packers head coach Matt LaFleur. The two are reportedly close friends. This could mean that, due to their friendly nature, the two had off-the-record conversations toying with the idea of a team-up. The theory would then become that Hafley was available as a backup option should LaFleur and company fail to land their preferred option, which was reportedly Orr.

Here’s where the other part of the timeline comes into play. Hafley was hired on January 31, the same day as Orr’s interview for the defensive coordinator job in Green Bay. In theory, Orr was offered the job on the spot, Green Bay having waited patiently for the Ravens to be eliminated from the playoffs. Orr, anticipating the likelihood of a promotion within his current organization, would’ve then turned the Packers down, prompting LaFleur to reach out and hire his good buddy later that day.

This theory makes sense when you consider Baltimore’s history of internal hires for defensive coordinator. After hiring Marvin Lewis in the Ravens’ inaugural season, Mike Nolan, Rex Ryan, Greg Mattison, Chuck Pagano, Dean Pees, and Don “Wink” Martindale were all promoted from internally to defensive coordinator. Mike Macdonald was technically the team’s first external hire for the position, coming from the University of Michigan, but that’s only if you discount the seven years he spent on-staff in Baltimore before his single year in Ann Arbor.

Orr had to have a good idea that he or Ravens associate head coach and defensive line coach Anthony Weaver stood the best chance of succeeding Macdonald as coordinator. If he felt particularly good about his prospects for the promotion, it makes sense that he would turn the Packers down just to be hired into the Ravens’ position the next day. In fact, Orr could’ve taken that Packers’ offer to leverage a similar advancement in Baltimore then informed Green Bay of his decision later that day.

If this report proves to be accurate, it paints an interesting picture for both teams. In Green Bay, it tells the story of a swing and a miss on one of the league’s up-and-coming, young coaches. In Baltimore, it shows how badly the Ravens wanted to hold on to Orr, who coached inside linebackers Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen to first- and second-team All-Pro honors, respectively, this season.

The Ravens knew that, in addition to losing Macdonald, they were likely to see whomever they didn’t promote between Orr and Weaver walk, as well. Head coach John Harbaugh and company claim that they’re really trying to hold onto to Weaver after passing him up for the coordinator position, but he seems destined for that promotion elsewhere as the current frontrunner for the Dolphins’ coordinator job. The 31-year-old Orr was the choice for Baltimore, though he was reportedly the choice in Green Bay first.

NFC Coaching Notes: Martindale, Macdonald, Gruden, Saints, Canales, Bucs, Bears, Eagles

February 1st, 2024 at 2:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Packers went off the board with their defensive coordinator hire, bringing in Boston College HC Jeff Hafley. Matt LaFleur has looked to the college ranks during each of his DC searches, wanting to hire then-Wisconsin staffer Jim Leonhard in 2021. Hafley’s hire comes after the Packers squeezed in another interview with a seasoned NFL coordinator. Don Martindale met with the Pack about the gig, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein tweets.

Martindale resigned his two-year post as Giants DC after a turbulent second season with Brian Daboll; he has since interviewed with the Jaguars for a job that went to Ryan Nielsen. Martindale has been accused of going rogue at points in New York, with the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz adding another footnote here. Ahead of the Giants’ Christmas game against the Eagles, Martindale is believed to have requested the equipment staff change linebacker Tomon Fox‘s number from 49 to 94 due to the DC’s plans of having him bumped up from the practice squad. That change was made without Daboll or GM Joe Schoen‘s approval.

As the Giants’ DC search continues, here is the latest from the coaching ranks:

  • The Saints–Jon Gruden connection persists. Although Gruden is not on the radar — at least, as far as we know — for the Saints’ OC job, a GM informed the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora the former Raiders and Buccaneers HC should be expected to have a bigger role with New Orleans in 2024. Gruden worked as a consultant last summer and met with Saints officials recently. The GM suggested the possibility Gruden could eventually replace Dennis Allen, which would be quite the development considering the circumstances surrounding Gruden’s Las Vegas exit. For now, Gruden, who is still suing the NFL, remains without an NFL job.
  • Unsurprisingly, Mike Macdonald confirmed he will start his Seahawks tenure as the team’s defensive play-caller. Though, the new Seattle HC said (via SI.com’s Albert Breer) he is open to that changing at some point. Michigan’s 2021 DC, Macdonald called plays for the Ravens over the past two years and became one of this year’s most popular HC candidates as a result. Although Pete Carroll carried a defensive background, he did not serve as the Seahawks’ defensive play-caller.
  • The Buccaneers have lost much of their offensive staff to Carolina, seeing one-and-done OC Dave Canales take three staffers (receivers coach Brad Idzik, run-game coordinator Harold Goodwin, O-line coach Joe Gilbert). Tom Moore, however, will be staying in Tampa, per Fox Sports’ Peter Schrager. Moore, 85, has been with the Bucs since Bruce Arians‘ 2019 arrival. The former Colts OC, who is now 85, has served as a consultant for the NFC South team. This will be Moore’s 47th NFL season.
  • Baker Mayfield finished last in QBR in 2022, seeing his Panthers stay responsible for that dismal result. Canales helping the inconsistent QB recover from what happened in Carolina represents a key reason for his HC hire, ESPN.com’s David Newton notes. A Canales selling point hinged on the Bucs’ downfield passing, with Newton adding Tampa Bay went from 24th in that area (6.9 air yards per attempt) in Tom Brady‘s final season to third in 2023 (8.4).
  • The Eagles have permitted quarterbacks coach Alex Tanney to explore opportunities elsewhere, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. During the period between Brian Johnson‘s exit and the Kellen Moore OC hire, Tanney asked the team for the opportunity. The Eagles are moving on, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane. Tanney received interest from the Colts last year, and McLane points to Indianapolis under ex-Eagles OC Shane Steichen as a potential landing spot.
  • The Bears have hired three more assistants. Chad Morton is signing on as running backs coach, according to the Chicago Sun-Times’ Jason Lieser, while ESPN.com’s Courtney Cronin adds Chris Beatty is coming in as wide receivers coach. Most recently with the Chargers, Beatty coached D.J. Moore at Maryland. A former NFL return man, Morton is following OC Shane Waldron from Seattle. Morton was the Seahawks’ RBs coach from 2017-23. Chicago also hired Jason Houghtaling as assistant O-line coach, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero adds; Houghtaling was Tennessee’s O-line coach in 2023.

Packers Expect To Retain Aaron Jones, Not Considering Jaire Alexander Trade

February 1st, 2024 at 1:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 2023 offseason involved multiple teams moving pricey running back contracts off their payroll, while others — the Packers included — reached pay-cut agreements with veteran starters. Aaron Jones‘ contract runs through 2024 and sees its cap number increase significantly, seemingly putting the accomplished back on unstable ground.

GM Brian Gutekunst may be putting a stop to talk of Jones leaving Green Bay, however, indicating (via The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman) the Packers “absolutely” expect their starting running back to be on the 2024 roster. Jones has been with the Packers since 2017. Of the deep 2017 RB draft class, only he, Alvin Kamara and Joe Mixon remain with the teams that selected them.

Jones agreed to take a $5MM pay cut last February, with that deal adding an $8.52MM signing bonus. The restructure added void years to the veteran back’s deal and trimmed his 2023 cap figure to $8.2MM. The cap hit spikes to $17MM in 2024, potentially pointing to another Packers move to address their top RB’s deal.

“He was such a difference-maker when he was out there this year, the way our offense was able to move,” Gutekunst said. “He changed a lot of the way we operated when he was in there and when he was healthy. He’s just really the heartbeat of our team.”

A Jones extension would make sense, as the void years on the current deal would bring a $6.6MM dead-money hit if he is not re-signed before the 2025 league year. Though, teams are no longer making a habit of reupping backs in their late 20s. The Packers gave Jones a four-year, $48MM deal just before free agency in 2021, changing course after several years of not paying running backs. The NFL largely opted to squeeze RBs last year, bringing another value drop for a position long past its prestige peak.

Jones, 29, missed time this season due to MCL and hamstring issues. These injuries caused the seven-year veteran to miss six games. But the UTEP alum proved effective when available, finishing the season surging. Returning to action in Week 14, the former fifth-round pick closed the season with five consecutive 100-yard rushing performances. This counted two in the playoffs, springing the Packers past the Cowboys and nearly upsetting the No. 1-seeded 49ers six days later. Jones’ veteran presence certainly helped a Packer team reliant on nothing but first- or second-year pass catchers.

AJ Dillon is coming off a sluggish contract year, being set to hit free agency at a bad time — as a crowded RB market is set to form. Jones being released — a move that would come with $12MM in dead money without a post-June 1 designation — would send him to a market that could well house Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry, Austin Ekeler, Tony Pollard and D’Andre Swift. Dillon is unlikely to secure a lucrative deal on this market. The Packers losing Jones would also create a major need, albeit at a position that is among the easiest to fill.

Additionally, Gutekunst made an effort to cool down Jaire Alexander trade rumors. The longtime Packers GM said, via Schneidman, no consideration is being given to trading Alexander. Following Alexander’s coin-toss fiasco that led to a one-game suspension, a report injected doubt about the highly paid cornerback’s Wisconsin future. The Packers owe Alexander an $8MM roster bonus on March 20.

The Packers gave Alexander a four-year, $84MM extension — one that remains the NFL’s high-water AAV mark for corners — in 2022 but have seen the former first-round pick miss extensive time due to injuries over the past three seasons. After a shoulder malady cost Alexander most of the 2021 season, he missed 10 games this year. That and the costly contract dent Alexander’s trade value. That said, Pro Football Focus rated the six-year veteran in the top 25 at the position this season.

Packers Hire Jeff Hafley As DC

January 31st, 2024 at 5:24pm CST by Adam La Rose

Green Bay has landed on a defensive coordinator hire. The Packers are set to bring in Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley as their new DC, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports.

Hafley took his first NFL coaching gig in 2012 when he became an assistant defensive backs coach with the Buccaneers. He took charge of Tampa’s DBs the following season, later doing the same with the Browns and 49ers. Hafley returned to the college ranks in 2019, serving as Ohio State’s co-defensive coordinator. That led him to Boston College’s head coaching role, which he held from 2020-23.

The 44-year-old did not have a known connection to an NFL DC posting since 2019. That includes being off the radar, in terms of known interviews, of the Packers through this year’s search. In a move which came as little surprise, Green Bay elected to fire Joe Barry after the team’s divisional round elimination. A long list of candidates emerged to fill the opening, but the team has gone in a different direction.

The Packers conducted at least three interviews for their Barry replacement, and another was lined up. Other staffers, including sought-after Panthers DC Ejiro Evero, were named as potential Green Bay targets. None of them have landed the position, though, one which will come with serious expectations given the highly-drafted players present on the Packers’ defense and the unit’s shortcomings under Barry.

Green Bay posted finishes of 13th, 17th and 10th in terms of points allowed over the past three seasons. Struggles against the run in particular were present for much of Barry’s tenure, and improvement in that regard will no doubt be a priority for Hafley. The latter led the Eagles to a 22-26 record during his time in charge, earning bowl eligibility for the school three times.

Boston College allowed an average of 28.3 points and just under 384 yards per game in 2023 while generating 1.3 takeaways per contest. Green Bay posted only seven interceptions in 2023, and better production in the secondary would go a long way toward overall improvement on defense moving forward. Hafley’s background working with defensive backs could help in that regard.

As Thamel notes, Hafley and head coach Matt LaFleur are close friends. Their relationship will now continue at the NFL level, with the former becoming the third DC in the latter’s time at the helm in Green Bay. The Packers’ defense will be worth watching closely as Haley makes a long-awaited return to the pro game and takes on his first career NFL coordinator gig.

Brandon Staley Meets With Packers, Dolphins; Rams To Conduct DC Interview

January 30th, 2024 at 2:19pm CST by Adam La Rose

JANUARY 30: The Rams indeed have interest in bringing Staley back. The former Chargers HC will interview for Raheem Morris‘ old job Wednesday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.

Staley cemented his place as a top HC candidate in 2021 by overseeing a No. 1-ranked Rams defense. While Staley’s Chargers defenses could not justify the franchise’s investment, the 2020 Rams ranked first in scoring defense and yardage allowed. With multiple teams pursuing the three-year HC, an immediate move back to a coordinator job may be in the cards.

JANUARY 26: A short list of names worth watching quickly emerged for the Packers’ defensive coordinator position once Joe Barry was fired earlier this week. Green Bay had yet to line up an interview, but that has now changed.

[RELATED: Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]

The Packers are speaking with Brandon Staley for their DC position, Matt Schneidman and Dianna Russini of The Athletic report. Staley’s first head coaching gig, which came with the Chargers, certainly did not go according to plan. He was let go midway through the 2023 season, his third in Los Angeles. A coordinator role likely awaits him in his next NFL opportunity.

Staley was not originally thought to be under consideration for Green Bay, but he is indeed meeting with the team today, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes. This Packers summit represents the first firm interest shown in the 41-year-old, but it does not appear to be the last. Schefter adds that Staley will interview with the Dolphins for their DC posting this weekend, and that a Rams reunion could be on the table.

Miami moved on from Vic Fangio after just one season at the helm, and he has already taken the Eagles’ DC role. The Dolphins thus have a notable vacancy to fill, and their upcoming Staley interview is the team’s first known one to fill the position. Miami underperformed relative to expectations at times during the season, although by the playoffs the team’s defense was ravaged by injuries. A number of key roster pieces are in place on that side of the ball.

Like the Dolphins, the Rams made it to the wild-card round of the postseason this year. Morris played a key role in that success, and he landed the Falcons’ head coaching position in a return to Atlanta. Staley could embark on a reunion of his own by taking the Rams’ DC position, one which he held in 2020. The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue names Staley as a potential candidate for the gig (subscription required).

Despite his background, Staley’s Chargers never ranked better than 20th in total defense. That, coupled with a regression on offense in 2023, helped inform the team’s decision to dismiss him and general manager Tom Telesco. The latter has already landed the Raiders’ GM job, but it will be interesting to see where (and in what capacity) Staley winds up. Today’s update certainly point to competition for his services in a coordinator role being a distinct possibility.

Packers Request DC Interviews With Dennard Wilson, Zach Orr

January 30th, 2024 at 9:20am CST by Adam La Rose

9:20am: Wilson is not the only Ravens staffer on the Packers’ radar. Green Bay has also requested a DC interview with linebackers coach Zach Orr, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports. Orr’s playing career was cut short due to a congenital spine condition, but he has transitioned to coaching at the NFL level. The 31-year-old worked with the Ravens from 2017-20 before taking a position with the Jaguars. He then returned to Baltimore in 2022 in his current role, which has made him a key figure on DC Mike Macdonald‘s staff.

8:56am: Dennard Wilson remains a highly sought-after defensive coordinator candidate. The Ravens defensive backs coach has received a DC interview request from the Packers, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Green Bay moved on from Joe Barry after the team’s elimination, a move which had been predicted by many before the 2023 campaign. The Packers have cast a wide net in their search for his replacement, although to date only two interviews have taken place with one more lined up. Wilson adds to the list of Green Bay’s targets, but the team will likely have competition for his services if an interview produces an offer.

Wilson, as Rapoport notes, has a Titans interview scheduled for today. He is also set to speak with the Rams, and those teams are joined by the Giants in having shown interest. New York has lined up a second interview with Wilson, whose stock rose during the 2023 campaign. After being passed up for the Eagles’ DC position last offseason, Wilson departed for Baltimore to take on the same role.

The 41-year-old helped oversee a Ravens secondary which was among the league’s best this year. Baltimore finished sixth in terms of passing yards allowed per game, and the team racked up 18 interceptions. An NFL staffer since 2012, Wilson has extensive experience as a secondary coach and passing game coordinator. He has never held a defensive coordinator title, however.

Green Bay finished 10th in scoring defense in 2023, but overall the team underperformed relative to expectations during much of Barry’s tenure at the helm. Improvement against the run in particular will be a target moving forward, and the team’s new defensive staff will be a key storyline entering the 2024 season as the Packers aim to build off their offensive success.

Here is an updated look at the Packers’ DC search:

Packers Request DC Meetings With Bobby Babich, Aden Durde; Team Interviews Christian Parker

January 26th, 2024 at 1:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

The coordinator carousel is now in full swing, and the Packers are adding names to their search to replace Joe Barry. While a few former Rams staffers have come up, Green Bay is now targeting two voices without backgrounds under Sean McVay.

Matt LaFleur‘s team has requested permission to meet with Bills linebackers coach Bobby Babich and Cowboys defensive line coach Aden Durde for their DC role, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo and ESPN.com’s Todd Archer report. Additionally, NFL.com’s James Palmer reports the Packers have interviewed Broncos DBs coach Christian Parker for the gig Thursday.

The Babich meeting will come to pass, per Garafolo, and it would surprise if Durde did not interview for the job as well. Teams cannot block this type of elevation, with the Packers’ DC holding play-calling responsibilities due to LaFleur’s status as an offense-oriented HC. After Barry served in the role for three years, the Packers are set to hire the third DC of the LaFleur era.

Babich, 40, has been on Sean McDermott‘s staff from the beginning. After coaching the Bills’ Micah Hyde–Jordan Poyer tandem for four seasons, Bobby Babich took over for his father, Bob, as linebackers coach. The Bills dealt with a few injuries at that position this season, most notably Matt Milano‘s October season-ender, but Milano earned All-Pro honors in the younger Babich’s first year in charge. The Packers join the Giants in targeting him for a promotion.

Turning up on Hard Knocks in 2021, Durde became known to viewers as the British coach on Dallas’ staff. Dan Quinn brought Durde over from Atlanta in 2021, and he has coached the Cowboys’ D-line since. Durde, 44, has coached Micah Parsons — well, sort of, with Dallas refusing to label the superstar defender as a pure defensive lineman — throughout his career while overseeing one of the league’s better D-lines. This marks Durde’s first connection to a DC opportunity.

Just 32, Parker is viewed as a rising talent. The Patriots are also targeting the Broncos assistant for their DC post. Both Nathaniel Hackett and Sean Payton retained Parker despite neither having hired him. The Vic Fangio hire has coached Patrick Surtain and Justin Simmons in Denver, helping both to All-Pro honors. The Broncos also unearthed a potential long-term slot corner, in Ja’Quan McMillian, as a rookie UDFA this season.

Courtesy of PFR’s Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker, here is how the Pack’s DC search shapes up so far:

Packers To Fire DC Joe Barry

January 24th, 2024 at 10:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Packers stunned the Cowboys in the wild-card round and nearly left San Francisco victorious six days later, they are still following through with a change that was rumored near the end of the regular season. They will have a new defensive coordinator next season.

Joe Barry is out, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. Barry lasted three seasons as Green Bay’s DC, but his unit struggled down the stretch. Barry’s contract ran past this season, per The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, making this a true firing.

[RELATED: 2024 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]

This marked Barry’s third opportunity running a defense. Like predecessor Mike Pettine, the bevy of former first-round picks present on this unit did not result in the return on investment the Packers have sought. The team’s defensive issues late in the regular season nearly prevented this playoff run from coming to pass. While Matt LaFleur said Tuesday he was not ready to make a call on Barry, the five-year Green Bay HC has done so early Wednesday morning.

After allowing Tommy DeVito extensive success on the ground, the Packers allowed the Giants’ rookie third-stringer to mount a game-winning drive in Week 14. Six days later, Baker Mayfield carved up the Green Bay defense to post the first perfect passer rating by a Lambeau Field visiting quarterback. Week 16 brought a shootout with a Panthers team that went 2-15; Carolina put up 30 points in that game. After that outing, Barry’s ouster was assumed. It appears the Packers’ strong finish could not offset these concerning late-season showings.

Overall, the Pack ranked 10th in scoring defense and 17th in yards allowed. The No. 10 mark represents a seven-spot improvement from 2022. DVOA was much less kind to Barry’s unit, placing it 27th this season. The metric graded Barry’s first-rounder-laden group 25th in 2022 as well. We heard last summer Barry entered a make-or-break year, and while the defense hounded Dak Prescott (garbage-time yards notwithstanding) and flustered Brock Purdy in a game the No. 1-seeded 49ers nearly blew, the former Detroit and Washington DC will need to look elsewhere to continue his career in 2024.

The Packers continue to use first-round picks on defense. With the exception of Jordan Love in 2020, Derek Sherrod (2011) stands as the most recent Green Bay first-rounder on offense. For much of Aaron Rodgers‘ starter run and Love’s first year as a first-stringer, the defense has not looked like a unit flooded with first-rounders. But seven homegrown Round 1 picks (Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, Lukas Van Ness, Quay Walker, Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes, Darnell Savage) were in place this season. All but Savage are under contract for 2024.

Barry, 53, managed to garner a second chance despite being Rod Marinelli‘s DC on the 0-16 2008 Lions team, serving as Washington’s DC from 2015-16. Both Barry Washington units finished 28th in total defense, but as many coaches have, the veteran assistant elevated his stock on Sean McVay‘s staff. Barry’s four-year run as Rams linebackers coach (2017-20) boosted his value, leading to the Green Bay opportunity.

As for who could be next, SI.com’s Albert Breer indicates Titans pass-game coordinator Chris Harris impressed during his interview for the DC post in 2021. Harris is back on the DC radar, with the Titans firing Mike Vrabel. Ejiro Evero also worked with LaFleur in Los Angeles. Evero was believed to be a finalist for the Green Bay gig in 2021.

The Panthers, however, have long held interest in pairing Evero with their next HC. The first-year Carolina DC also has a second HC interview scheduled with the team. Jim Leonhard was believed to be LaFleur’s first choice for the job in 2021, per ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky, but the former NFL safety stayed at the University of Wisconsin. Leonhard finished last season at Illinois as a senior football analyst.

Barry’s replacement will naturally enter a high-pressure situation, with Love ascending during this season’s second half to create expectations for the 2024 team.

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